pen
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Post by pen on Apr 30, 2009 13:35:30 GMT -5
Absolute Punk says Rise Against is filming a video for this, which will be their third single from Appeal To Reason.
Why. Why are they ignoring much better single choices like "Savior" or "Long Forgotten Sons"? This song is a great song, but I could see it getting a ton of backlash, plus it's their "acoustic number", which I guess it probably why it's getting a release. I think it's a mistake though.
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Cody
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Post by Cody on Apr 30, 2009 13:57:02 GMT -5
good song, terrible single choice.
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Pipa
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Post by Pipa on Apr 30, 2009 14:13:57 GMT -5
I agree, this should wait until at least the fourth single.
"Entertainment" would be another good choice too.
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Post by American Idiot on Apr 30, 2009 21:57:52 GMT -5
good song, terrible single choice. Those are my exact thoughts. This is the one song that I definitely wouldn't release as a single even if it is a terrific ballad that can be very emotional to some listeners.
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Ron57
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Post by Ron57 on Apr 30, 2009 22:02:51 GMT -5
Not a good Rock single at least. I would have gone with Long Forgotten Sons or Savior.
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Post by American Idiot on Apr 30, 2009 22:08:57 GMT -5
It's also a bit of a shame that this was chosen because almost every other track on "Appeal To Reason" would be great to choose as a single, but again I guess they haven't had a ballad released to radio since "Swing Life Away." Actually, I'm kind of surprised they didn't make"Roadside" a single from "The Sufferer & The Witness" at any point.
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Post by My Life Is A Stereo on May 1, 2009 0:57:58 GMT -5
I'm confused as to why everyone seems to think releasing ballads as singles is a bad idea? To me its usually the best idea to be able to appeal to a much wider audience. This is the song that could actually bring in new listeners. I'm actually on the side of having more ballads go to rock radio and show a little more emotional appeal in this manner. Not every song but more than we get now. Plus i'm sure we'll see at least one more single before its over and they can use one of the other songs mentioned for that. I just don't think its necessary to have all the singles be the up tempo songs. I know its some peoples preference but you find a wider audience by showcasing all you have on the radio.
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pen
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Post by pen on May 1, 2009 1:10:27 GMT -5
I'm confused as to why everyone seems to think releasing ballads as singles is a bad idea? To me its usually the best idea to be able to appeal to a much wider audience. This is the song that could actually bring in new listeners. I'm actually on the side of having more ballads go to rock radio and show a little more emotional appeal in this manner. Not every song but more than we get now. Plus i'm sure we'll see at least one more single before its over and they can use one of the other songs mentioned for that. I just don't think its necessary to have all the singles be the up tempo songs. I know its some peoples preference but you find a wider audience by showcasing all you have on the radio. I don't think releasing ballads is a bad idea, but this is not the right one for the effect ballads are usually released for. This is a heavy anti-war song about a soldier in the army, I'm not real sure it will do all that well at this point in time. Furthermore, ballads are great for a lot of bands, but I think for a political-punk band like Rise Against, it's really not the best move, especially if you have a lot of better material on hand to offer. Even though "Audience Of One" did well, I think they could've made a better selection. They're not going to cross over with this one, I know that for a fact. To be honest, I think at this point they're either just doing it to be contrary and not release the more obvious radio songs, or their record label has suggested it because they aren't thinking further than it being an acoustic song.
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Post by My Life Is A Stereo on May 1, 2009 1:52:02 GMT -5
I do agree with you on that, the material of this song might be too heavy handed. Musically though its catchy for the "average" listeners ear. But what I mostly commented on was that it appeared from this and other things I've read that there are alot of people not open to ballads as singles at all. Not just here, kind of all over the net. It doesn't really matter in the end though, the music is out there to hear at any time (Radio to a degree has become just the chart mechanism, considering how accessible all music is now and how freely we can carry it. Did you ever try carrying your whole CD collection with your discman, lol....now with MP3 players and iPod's we can take all our music everywhere at all times). Radio still has its place but I imagine that in the next ten years there will be some major shifts to that format.
Anyways, my point comes down to ballads are a good mix for radio, but you are right that the war theme of this song may hit a lot of wrong chords along with the ones that it strikes well......but what do they say "there's no such thing as bad press".
Oh the other point I'd quickly make is that the other songs mentioned in this thread, although being good songs, are just like previous material. At the very least this shows a musical departure and that they aren't a one sound band. (the acoustic version of Prayer of the Refugee is the song that put this band over the top for me)
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pen
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Post by pen on May 1, 2009 2:02:35 GMT -5
I think the problem with ballads as singles is that labels tend to rely on them as a crutch to get a band onto pop stations. Like if the first single is heavy, second song has to be a ballad. It's like an unwritten rule. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. And sometimes when it works it fucks bands up. Example: Hoobastank. Was doing fine on radio until they scored huge with "The Reason" on pop, on everywhere. And then no other single from the band has done anything anywhere. Whether you like the follow-up singles or not, they should have done something. Anything. But one single ballad destroyed their entire career on radio. I think that's why people don't like ballads.
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Post by My Life Is A Stereo on May 1, 2009 2:16:07 GMT -5
I hear ya. My only concern is that if they can't make music that really is interesting enough to get noticed after a huge success than do they really deserve to be huge. I liked Hoobastank before they hit it huge but would be first to admit they were nothing more than the average band really, with some potential. They haven't lived up to it in my opinion, even though I liked alot of the follow-up album to "The Reason"(i know its not name of album, i just cant be bothered to look it up) . And sometimes it just comes down to plain old politics of music. I haven't heard a sniff of their new album after the first single, which honestly felt REALLY weak. Their second single, which I don't think is even released here, is a slower song that actually sounds like it could be a pop radio hit. What's really sad is that most rock fans turn on a band if they have success on pop. I never understood that. But then again I don't believe in the term sell-out for any reason either. Rock fans in general are those kids who don't like to share their toys, indie rock fans are the worst for that, lol.
I get the argument, I just don't buy into it. Whether music is slow or fast, will do well if it's solid and if the band if solid. I believe Rise Against is pretty damn solid and can succeed with a ballad BUT maybe not this one.
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pen
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Post by pen on May 1, 2009 2:26:31 GMT -5
I agree with most of what you said, except I did like "My Turn" quite a bit. But For(n)ever for the most part feels kind of lacking something. Every Man For Himself, the third album, was ridiculously solid and an overlooked gem. I think that listening to that album, front to back, the songs stand out way more than they would by themselves. "Moving Forward" especially really struck me. But For(n)ever just seems kind of like, oh, another album by Hoobastank. They didn't put nearly as much effort into it, and I think that's probably because they didn't have the same budget as they did for Every Man For Himself, and their label probably wasn't going to push it unless they thought the songs were radio-friendly fodder they could push. And then they didn't, so my guess is either Hoob will break up or move to a smaller label. I'm hoping for the latter, because they're not a bad band at all, just maybe a little uninspired.
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Post by My Life Is A Stereo on May 1, 2009 2:29:58 GMT -5
Smaller label may very be where they need to go. I have a feeling the break up option may be the one they end up taking though.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on May 1, 2009 3:45:45 GMT -5
Actually, I'm kind of surprised they didn't make"Roadside" a single from "The Sufferer & The Witness" at any point. "Swing Life Away" was a "feel good" song. That one was darker and slower and not nearly as "fun" to sing along to.
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Post by American Idiot on May 2, 2009 0:27:06 GMT -5
Actually, I'm kind of surprised they didn't make"Roadside" a single from "The Sufferer & The Witness" at any point. "Swing Life Away" was a "feel good" song. That one was darker and slower and not nearly as "fun" to sing along to. Agreed. You're right actually that I think about it. "Swing Life Away" should have been a single and I'm really glad it was and got the success it did because of that sole reason that you mention. "Hero Of War" like "Roadside" are both deep tracks that have a strong meaning behind them. I guess really neither one of them would be single material in my mind, but I guess this really was the best choice if they wanted to release something different from the other songs on the album.
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